Dhaka: A Dhaka court on Monday sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her niece, British MP Tulip Siddiq, to different jail terms in two separate cases filed over the misuse of power in securing a 10-katha government plot in the Purbachal area of the capital. The judgment was pronounced by Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 judge Md. Robiul Alam, as stated by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lawyer Tarikul Islam Tarik.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, previously sentenced to death for crimes against humanity, received a 10-year imprisonment sentence, while Tulip Siddiq was handed a four-year jail term. Hasina's nephew, Radwan Mujib Siddiq, and another niece, Azmina Siddiq, were each sentenced to seven years in jail. Additionally, the court imposed a fine of Tk 100,000 on each of them, with an additional six months' imprisonment in case of non-payment. Other accused in the cases received a five-year prison term each and a Tk 100,000 fine.
The case statements reveal that the former Prime Minister misused her power to allocate two government plots, each measuring 10 kathas, to her sister Sheikh Rehana's children, Radwan Mujib Siddiq and Azmina Siddiq. A total of six cases were filed in connection with the Rajuk plot scam against Sheikh Hasina and her family, including her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul, sister Sheikh Rehana, her daughter Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, Azmina Siddiq Ruponti, and son Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby.
On November 27, last year, a court sentenced Sheikh Hasina to 21 years in jail in three cases over irregularities in plot allocation by Rajuk. Additionally, on December 1, a Dhaka court sentenced Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, and Rehana's daughter Tulip Siddiq to different jail terms in another case filed over the misuse of power in securing a 10-katha government plot in Purbachal.
On July 31, last year, the court framed charges against the accused. Sheikh Hasina was sentenced to 26 years in jail in four cases filed over the plot scam, while her son and daughter, Joy and Putul, received five years of imprisonment. Sheikh Rehana and her daughter Tulip were also sentenced to different jail terms in the case. On January 13, last year, ASM Rashedul Hasan, assistant director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), filed a case against 16 people for obtaining a 10-katha plot at Purbachal New Town through abuse of power and procedural irregularities.